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Motorcyclist lucky to be alive after high-speed chase

News

August 6th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in western Iowa say an Omaha man who crashed an allegedly stolen motorcycle after he led authorities on a high-speed pursuit Monday on Interstate 29 in Pottawattamie County, is lucky to be alive. They also say he had an extensive criminal history. 19-year old James M. Holmes was reported to be in fair condition Tuesday, at an Omaha Hospital. Trooper Scott Miller, of the Iowa State Patrol, told The Daily NonPareil Holmes was “extremely lucky” to have survived the crash because his motorcycle reached speeds of up to 150 mph during the chase.

The pursuit began on I-80 in Council Bluffs, after authorities received a report about a stolen 2005 Honda motorcycle in Council Bluffs. Holmes was seen headed east on I-80, then west on Interstate 680 and eventually south on I-29. He crashed at about 5:45 p.m. on I-29 near Honey Creek. The pursuit lasted about 20 minutes.

Troopers were pursuing Holmes on I-29 when he attempted to pass two semitrailer trucks on the inside shoulder of southbound I-29. Holmes veered into the median and lost control of his motorcycle, which rolled several times. Both Holmes and the motorcycle came to rest in the I-29 median.

Miller said authorities believe Holmes was in possession of a stolen handgun. A Pottawattamie County sheriff’s deputy found the firearm in a bag that was thrown toward a rest stop during the pursuit. Multiple charges against Holmes are pending, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Officers with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Department of Transportation and a Pottawattamie County sheriff’s deputy – as well as the Omaha Police Department’s helicopter – assisted with the pursuit.

Posted in News |

Iowa O line coach happy to have center back

Sports

August 6th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Iowa’s offensive line returns four of five starters from last season’s 8-5 bowl team, but line coach Brian Ferentz says that doesn’t mean all but one spot is locked up as they open fall practice. “There’s spots that are open, things can move, nothing is set in stone. Every position is open,” Ferentz says. He says he doesn’t expect senior left tackle Brandon Scherf or junior center Austin Blythe to be displaced and he says there are others he also doesn’t expect to lose their starting spots. “What’s important for us over the next 25 days or so is to really nail down who is going to be playing for us. And it may be more than five guys, it may only be five guys, but I know we’d better find at least five.” Ferentz says filling out the offensive line is much easier with Blythe back at the center spot.

“Anytime you have to break in a new center, it’s like breaking in a new quarterback, that’s no fun. When you have to break in a new quarterback and a new center, that’s a little bit difficult and certainly we had to do that last year — which wasn’t always fun,” Ferentz says. “The benefit is — because we did that last year — we should be looking at two more seasons of continuity there.” He says the center is key because of the philosophy they have for the offense.

“I think you’ve got to start with the idea that all of our centers have to be intelligent guys. We put a little bit more on their plate than we do on any of the other positions,” according to Ferentz. “We kid around and say you only have to count to two to play on the offensive line here. And to some extent that is true.” Ferentz says the other lineman only have to count to two because the center points out all the offensive calls and passes them on. There’s another reason the center position is so key.

“If it was just a matter of intelligence, we’ve had a lot of guys who could probably play center. The second thing is, we are always going to ask that guy to be the bell cow for our offensive line,” Ferentz explains. He says the center has to lead the others no only by pointing out assignments, but by effort and poise as well. Ferentz says Blythe has grown into that role in the last two years.

Iowa opens the season on August 30th at home against Northern Iowa.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Sports |

Official urges motorists to be aware of more ATVs, ORVs on Iowa roads

Ag/Outdoor, News

August 6th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Two tragic accidents this past week involving all-terrain and off-road utility vehicles are refocusing attention on safety as well as efforts to allow utility vehicles on city streets and county roads. David Downing of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says sales of A-T-Vs and O-R-Vs — the short-hand for “off-road utility vehicles” — are growing rapidly. “You’re seeing more and more of those vehicles and as the counties start to open up their roads and city jurisdictions open up their roads for ATVs and ORVs, obviously there’s more interaction with motor vehicles and all kinds of other things,” he says, “so people need to be aware of that.”

On Saturday, four 14-year-old boys were killed when the utility vehicle they were riding in was hit by a pick-up truck that ran a stop sign near Epworth. Two nine-year-old boys died in an A-T-V accident Monday on a farm near Mount Vernon. Representative Curt Hansen, a Democrat from Fairfield who taught driver’s ed for 43 years, urges Iowans to take the safety courses that are available.  “They don’t handle like a vehicle designed for roadway use and so there’s a lot of limitations that people have to realize,” Hansen says.

Downing says his agency offers an A-T-V safety course. “You can take the class online. It’s available 24 hours a day or you can take a hands-on class,” Downing says. “There’s also the ATV Safety Institute, which you get a certificate back from them, the manufacturers, when you purchase an ATV, then you’re able to take the course free of charge.” Downing says A-T-V drivers have to learn how to shift their weight to balance the machine as it moves. Representative Hansen says he worries about the larger, off-road utility vehicles that have bench seats.

“They’re almost golf carts on steroids,” Hansen says. “They’re just very, very fast and the vulnerability increases with the increase in speed.” Four-wheel A-T-Vs may be driven on rural roads and county highways today if they’re being used for farming. Some local city and county ordinances also allow A-T-Vs, golf carts and other off-road utility vehicles on local roads, but the operator has to be a licensed driver, the vehicle can’t go more than 35 miles an hour and the hours of operation are limited to between sunrise and sunset.

A bill that would have allowed A-T-Vs and off-road utility vehicles on every rural road and county highway in Iowa passed the House this spring, but stalled in the Senate. Representative Brian Moore, a Republican from Bellevue who has been pushing for the legislation, says it only would have applied to Iowans who are above the age of 16 and who have a valid drivers license. “Of course, you get stuff out on the road, four-wheelers and ATVs and more traffic out on the road, there’s going to be a risk,” Moore says. “There’s a risk on bicycles. There’s a risk on walking.”

Moore says he doesn’t plan to introduce the bill again in 2014 unless there are major changes in the make-up of the state senate and he determines the bill could pass the the senate.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

WAYNE EUGENE COLVIN, 79, of Oakland (Svcs. 8/11/14)

Obituaries

August 6th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

WAYNE EUGENE COLVIN, 79, of Oakland, died Tue., Aug. 5th, at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs. Services for WAYNE COLVIN will be held on Monday, August 11, 2014 at 10:30 AM at the Oakland United Methodist Church. Rieken Vieth Funeral Home in Oakland has the arrangements.

Visitation with the family will be on Sunday, August 10, 2014 from 3:00 PM until 5:00 PM at the Oakland United Methodist Church.

Interment will be at the Oaklawn Cemetery.

WAYNE COLVIN is survived by:

His wife – Mary Lou Colvin, of Oakland.

His daughters – Mary Waggoner and husband Bill, JR. of Oakland; Dawn Royalty and husband RT of Council Bluffs; Paula Kadlec and husband Larry of Frederick, CO, and Valerie Buchholz and husband Jeff of Omaha.

His brothers- Dick Colvin & Steve Colvin.

His sisters: Bonnie Lytle,  and Diana Hamilton and husband Steve.

5 grandchildren; 3 step grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; 3 step great-grandchildren; and  He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Posted in Obituaries |

Jay lifts Cardinals to 3-2 win over Red Sox

Sports

August 6th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jon Jay hit an RBI single with two out in the eighth inning to break a tie and lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 3-2 win over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night. The Cardinals won their third in a row and fourth in the last five. Boston has lost three in a row.

Jay, who missed the previous five games with a wrist injury, blooped a hit to left off reliever Junichi Tazawa to bring in former Red Sox A.J. Pierzynski with the winning run. Reliever Pat Neshek picked up the win by striking out the side in the eighth.

St. Louis closer Trevor Rosenthal recorded his NL-leading 35th save in 39 chances. Boston beat St. Louis in six games in last year’s World Series.

Posted in Sports |

Iowa early News Headlines: Wed., Aug. 6th 2014

News

August 6th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa driving instructor has been accused of stealing another instructor’s identity to teach a class. Sixty-five-year-old Frederick Donald Bindner, of Mount Pleasant, faces a charge of felony identity theft. Bindner is accused of using the driving instructor’s personal identification information to teach a class over several days in June.

NEW HAMPTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in northeast Iowa have released the name of a Missouri man killed when his motorcycle hit a sport utility vehicle that veered into his path after another collision. The Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office says 54-year-old Mark Hill, of Cameron, Missouri, died in the Friday morning crash near New Hampton, Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal disaster declaration has been issued for 22 Iowa counties damaged by severe weather in June and July. The declaration was issued for Audubon, Black Hawk, Butler, Cedar, Des Moines, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Mahaska, Muscatine, Poweshiek, Tama, and Washington counties. This is the third such declaration that Iowa has received this year.

WAVERLY, Iowa (AP) — Officials in the northeast Iowa city of Waverly have approved tax rebates for a planned four-story downtown hotel. Waverly City Council on Monday voted 6 to 1 to approve a development agreement that includes about $700,000 in rebates for the estimated $4.5 million project. Cobblestone Inns and Suites, a Wisconsin-based chain, plans to build the hotel at the site of a home furnishing store.

Posted in News |

Obama OKs disaster aid for 22 Iowa counties

News

August 5th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal disaster declaration has been issued for 22 Iowa counties damaged by severe weather in June and July.

The White House and Gov. Terry Branstad announced the presidential disaster declaration Tuesday. The declaration was issued for Audubon, Black Hawk, Butler, Cedar, Des Moines, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Mahaska, Muscatine, Poweshiek, Tama, and Washington counties.

The governor requested the support from President Barack Obama after the counties were hit with storms, hail, tornadoes and heavy rain from June 26 to July 7. The declaration means the counties will get federal funding to help with rebuilding efforts, such as repairing property, removing debris and other emergency work.

This is the third such declaration that Iowa has received this year.

Posted in News |

TUESDAY, AUGUST 5th

Trading Post

August 5th, 2014 by admin

FOR SALE: 30′ TV antenna pole and antenna $25; 12 hole rabbit cage, could be cut apart $20. 249-4005.

Posted in Trading Post |

Atlantic CC set to approve 1st reading of Urban Revitalization Plan

News

August 5th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, will hold act on a Resolution establishing an Urban Revitalization Plan for the City, and, the first reading of “An Ordinance designating the 2014 City of Atlantic Urban Revitalization Area.” Both will follow a required public hearing on the Plan. The URP as presented has some significant changes from the last version the Council reviewed.

For instance, the Community Development Committee has recommended a prohibition on granting both Tax Increment Finacing (TIF) benefits and Tax Abatements on project properties, be removed. Two other changes were made after the URP was reviewed by the City’s bond counsel, Bob Jostens. Jostens’ legal opinion was that contrary to SWIPCO’s assertion, the entire City of Atlantic is not blighted, and therefore the newer, non-blighted areas would not qualify for more favorable tax treatment limits (granting tax exemptions on new added value up to $250,000), and that Tax Abatements in the newer area (south of 14th Street) be limited to the first $75,000 in added value.

However, the Community Development Committee minimized the effect of the legal abatement recommended by Jostens, by increasing the Tax Exemption rate schedule from 80% to 100% for the first through 5th years. The variance will be a continuum with abatements steadily increasing for improvements under $125,000 and decreasing as values exceed $250,000. The plan would also significantly increase the abatement amounts on all commercial improvements, regardless of location.

And, whereas the original URP said “Improvements that began after Jan. 1st, 2014 and not completed prior to adoption of the plan may be eligible for abatement,” the Committee will leave it up to the County Assessor, who has indicated she would have to use the Jan. 1, 2014 Assessments (which are based on inspections made in the fall of 2013), as the base. Any increase in valuation due to improvements that was completed at the time of her inspections this fall, may be eligible for a tax abatement. Another option is to set Jan. 1st, 2015, as the base for valuations, which would limit the length of the program to 3 years, as originally intended.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will act on a recommendation by the Personnel and Finance Committee to issue a loan amounting to $400,000 at an interest rate of 4-percent, to developer Pat McCurdy, who plans to build a 24-unit apartment complex near the existing Walnut Hill Apartment building at 1300 E. 10th Street. The loan would be contingent upon McCurdy’s grant application being approved by the State, in January, 2015.

The Atlantic City Council meeting begins at 5:30-p.m., Wednesday, in their chambers at City Hall.

Posted in News |

Rhoads happy with early practice

Sports

August 5th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa State Cyclones opened fall practice Monday and afterward, coach Paul Rhoads said it was what you expect from the first day. “There’s some good, there’s some bad, and there’s a lot of inbetween and there’s nothing to be overly excited about at the same time,” according to Rhoads. He says getting back into shape for the daily workouts is one of the first issues they face. “You’ve got rust, you’ve got a little conditioning fall off and that shows. Playing football is always different than working out and training and so there was some conditioning football from play-to-pay wise that we will continue to address on a daily basis, that’s one of the primary things you’ve got to get accomplished during training camp,” Rhoads said. He liked the attitude of the team.

He says the players were intent and had good enthusiasm for the first day. Rhoads says he will stick to his timeline of picking a starting quarterback by the end of next week. Richardson, sophomore Grant Rohach, and redshirt freshman Joel Lanning are vying for the starting Q-B spot. Iowa State will hold their fall media day on August 10th.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Sports |